After more than a year of construction, state and local leaders recently cut the ribbon on the new Chutes and Ladders Playground at Reservoir Park in Harrisburg. “Our parks are the cornerstone of our community,” said Harrisburg Mayor Wanda R.D. Williams. “Thirty years from now, the children here today will tell their children about the time their […]
Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission Awards 48 Keystone Historic Preservation Grants
This is a detailed list of projects (PDF) funded by this year’s round of Keystone Historic Preservation Grants. The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) has awarded $2.58 million in Keystone Historic Preservation grants to help historical and heritage organizations, museums, and local governments in 21 counties. The commission awarded 48 grants selected from 101 […]
Middletown’s Hoffer Park Reopens with Locally Inspired Features
Hoffer Park, a popular recreation spot in Middletown, reopened April 1st, 2023. The years-long park renovation, funded in part through Keystone Fund dollars, involved the design of playground implements that evoke the visuals of numerous local landmarks. Middletown is home to Penn State Harrisburg, Harrisburg International Airport, and Three Mile Island (TMI), the now-closed nuclear […]
A Safe Route to School
When Gettysburg High School was built in 1999, there was no safe way to walk or bicycle to the new high school. That changed with the NGT, a real community upgrade. The trail gets a lot of use from people enjoying a stroll out to the high school, as well as joggers and bicyclists. Personally, I enjoy the sight of young children and moms with strollers.
Reviving a Tradition
My active participation at Adams-Ricci Park started when I was appointed to the township recreation board in 1998, after many years of coaching youth sports. By then, we had a community park with a few sports fields, pavilions, and courts. It was a good base, but we needed to grow the park to meet the needs of a rapidly growing community. Two major expansions increased the park to 125 acres and incorporated more sports fields, a great system of walking paths, and pavilions.
Community Pride
With a master plan in place, efforts turned to a capital campaign to generate funding for the development of the park. With donations from its citizens, businesses, and civic organizations, combined with a matching grant from the Keystone Fund, groundbreaking got underway in 2009.
Simple but Effective
Latimore Township is predominantly a rural, agricultural area, and the preservation of open, green spaces has been one of the supervisors’ primary goals while in office. The township park is part of that larger plan of caring for the natural environment because it protects a large green space from unwanted development while still providing for public use. Supervisor Woody Myers has taken great care to plant more trees, shrubs, and flowers around the park and has installed several bird houses along the walking trail.
Finding Peace
I am a yoga teacher, and I lead yoga walks at Wildwood. The combination of walking and yoga in a natural environment can result in a very special experience! I enjoy introducing people to Wildwood through the yoga walks, and I believe everyone needs to connect with nature for a healthier lifestyle. Leading the meditation at the end of the yoga walks is my favorite part of the activity. Everyone seems so much more at peace!
History and Beauty
My personal connection with Thousand Steps stems from many years ago when my parents took me there are a child. As an adult, it was one of the first places that I brought my wife when we were dating and she was new to the area. Now, later in life, I continue to bring my children, friends, and family on hikes there. Currently I enjoy running the trails in the area, and Thousand Steps is a great place to begin or finish a long run.
A Hike with My Kids
We followed the Hawk Trail, marked by orange bird silhouettes, and reached the top within 20 minutes or so, including the inevitable stops to inspect a wandering bug or interesting leaf. The trail is steep and rocky which was a fun change from the gentler nature trails my kids are used to, but the short distance kept the hike very do-able.
An Invaluable Resource
The Ghost Town Trail proved to be an invaluable resource for my running partners and me as we trained for the 2016 Chicago Marathon. We utilized various sections of the trail based on our training plan requirements. For speed work, we started in Ebensburg and ran downhill to Nanty Glo. Short recovery runs on Ebensburg’s crushed gravel sections helped keep our legs healthy. For distance runs, we took advantage of the Vitondale station for parking and water stops. The heat, humidity, and dew point were a brutal mix for 20-mile runs; Vitondale’s resources were much appreciated.
A Perfect Habitat
Breeding cerulean warblers tend to cluster together; a handful of such clusters occur in Pennsylvania. One of these is along the Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River in south-central Pennsylvania, where Blair and Huntingdon counties meet. Fortunately, for monitoring these birds, the Lower (rhymes with flower) Trail, a 16.5 mile-long rail-trail, is adjacent to the river there and provides an ideal way to count them.
Passing On a Legacy
The state-of-the-art facility supports one of the largest regions of hunters, plus law enforcement and shooting competitors from Pennsylvania and other states. It is also available for campers and other visitors to the state forest. The area has a strong hunting and target shooting history, as well as a legacy of training future generations on proper gun handling and respect for the outdoors. The range provides an important space for this training.
A Critical Transportation Link
I use the Chambersburg section of the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail several times a week, mostly for recreation. I am an avid runner. One of the reasons I chose to live in downtown Chambersburg was because of the quick access to the rail trail, which is just steps away from my house.
It Sure Beats Riding Indoors
The Capital Area Greenbelt in Harrisburg has been our favorite fall and winter riding area. We ride mostly at night, with good illumination from the great lights that are available. The group rides range from five to 15 people. What a joy it is to see 10 or more riders doing these rides.
Bringing Visitors to Our Town
The Bedford Heritage Trail, which opened in September 2015, connects the Omni Bedford Springs Resort and Spa to downtown Bedford. The trail has made a big impact on our community in many ways. It is a very popular venue for local walkers and joggers. It has increased the number of Omni Bedford Springs Resort guests who visit downtown. It has opened up the Resort’s rustic trail system to local hikers and mountain bikers. It has provided a safe way for bicyclists to avoid a narrow and dangerous section of State Route 220. It has added an amenity to our town that people reference with pride.
Schuylkill Haven’s Only Remaining Recreational Space
The 21-acre Island Park, nestled between the Schuylkill River and the Reading and Blue Mountain Railroads, is Schuylkill Haven’s only remaining open recreational space. Before the flood, the area accommodated a few softball and soccer fields. The community had considered improvements to the park over the years. But the flood damage forced them to start from scratch.
An Epic Endeavor
Standing on the white rocky cliffs along the Appalachian Trail, one is rewarded for the uphill hike with a breathtaking panoramic view of farms and forest. Once threatened by development, 850 acres of forested ridgeline are now permanently protected. Their preservation safeguards an unbroken forest habitat, amazing geological formations, and a place to take in stunning views.
Critical Habitat in Centre County
Fortunately, ClearWater Conservancy worked with numerous partners and received a Keystone Fund grant to fund the acquisition of the land. In preserving Musser Gap, ClearWater not only protected an important habitat for golden eagles and other wildlife, but also helped to safeguard the drinking water for more than 40,000 residents in the State College region.
Once a Trolley Line, Now a Trail
Planning for the Hanover Trolley Trail began in earnest in 2009 when Keystone Fund grants helped bring together the York County Rail Trail Authority and local officials to examine the opportunities and challenges associated with the development of the trail on the former trolley line.
